Penticton Vees alum and University of North Dakota left winger Brendan O’Donnell, who scored a pair of goals to help his club to a conference road victory at Alaska Anchorage last Friday, has been named Red Baron® Western Collegeiat Hockey Association Rookie of the Week for Dec. 6.
A 6-0, 200-pound freshman from Winnipeg, Manitoba, O’Donnell’s two-goal performance sparked a 5-2 North Dakota victory over the host Seawolves on Dec. 2 and on to an eventual series sweep (4-1 win on Dec. 3), a pair of league victories that enabled UND to climb from ninth to a tie for fourth in the WCHA standings.
O’Donnell scored twice in the opening 10 minutes of the first period last Friday, including the first goal of the contest and the eventual game-winner. O’Donnell, who was also a +2, now has three goals in six games since returning from a six-game injury absence. He is a draftee of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
Last season with the Vees, O'Donnell scored 29 goals and 43 assists in 58 games.
